Academy converter · Birmingham

Fortis Academy

11–18Ages
1,210Pupils
SecondaryPhase
Sixth formAges 16–18
143435URN

Aldridge Road, Great Barr, Birmingham, B44 8NU · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Oct 2023 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

4.2per place

close to Birmingham median (4.2)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in BirminghamSelective

619 applications for 149 places · 44th of 83 in Birmingham

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

38.4of 90

Birmingham 45.3 England 46.0

77th of 88 in Birmingham

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 24 October 2023Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		Good
Sixth form provision		Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

4.2applications per place, Year 7

close to Birmingham median (4.2) 1.9 above England median (2.2)

619 applications · 149 places offered · 80 named it first

2026 4.2; Birmingham median median 4.2
2025 4.0; Birmingham median median 4.3
2024 2.4; Birmingham median median 4.0
2023 2.8; Birmingham median median 4.1
2022 1.8; Birmingham median median 4.5
2021 4.2; Birmingham median median 4.3
2020 4.7; Birmingham median median 4.8
2019 3.1; Birmingham median median 4.8
2018 3.2; Birmingham median median 4.6
2017 2.4; Birmingham median median 4.5
2016 2.0; Birmingham median median 3.8; as the previous school
2015 2.2; Birmingham median median 3.6; as the previous school
2014 2.0; Birmingham median median 3.5; as the previous school

More applications per place than the Birmingham median in 0 of 10 years.

This school
Birmingham median

Dashed bars: as Great Barr School (URN 103550), the previous school.

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	149	619	4.2	80	0.54
Sep 2025	143	570	4.0	64	0.45
Sep 2024	207	490	2.4	49	0.24
Sep 2023	167	475	2.8	63	0.38
Sep 2022	263	482	1.8	54	0.21
Sep 2021	160	670	4.2	55	0.34
Sep 2020	190	896	4.7	77	0.41
Sep 2019	300	934	3.1	75	0.25
Sep 2018	301	949	3.2	100	0.33
Sep 2017	365	875	2.4	87	0.24
Sep 2016 *	402	785	2.0	93	0.23
Sep 2015 *	330	711	2.2	101	0.31
Sep 2014 *	376	755	2.0	98	0.26

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

200 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)38.477th of 88 in Birmingham

Birmingham 45.3 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths29%81st of 88 in Birmingham

Birmingham 46% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths45%

Birmingham 65% England 66%

This school
Birmingham median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.32

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	200	38.4	29%	45%	–
2024/25	277	37.9	27%	49%	–
2023/24	293	39.7	29%	47%	−0.32
2022/23	313	34.3	21%	38%	−0.72

Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest secondary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

Fortis AcademyThis school
This school

Good2023

4.2applications per place 38.4Attainment 8
Arena Academy
0.7 km · Birmingham

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.9applications per place 42.7Attainment 8
Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School
1.0 km · Birmingham

2026

3.7applications per place 48.0Attainment 8
Barr Beacon School
2.0 km · Walsall

Good2022

4.6applications per place 50.4Attainment 8
E-ACT North Birmingham Academy
2.1 km · Birmingham

2026

2.4applications per place 44.2Attainment 8
Prince Albert High School
2.8 km · Birmingham

Good2024

5.3applications per place 44.6Attainment 8
Q3 Academy Great Barr
3.0 km · Sandwell

Remains Good2022

2.5applications per place 44.1Attainment 8
The Streetly Academy
3.0 km · Walsall

Good2022

3.8applications per place 42.9Attainment 8
Eden Boys' School, Birmingham
3.0 km · Birmingham

Standards maintained2024

8.6applications per place 62.2Attainment 8

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Academy converter
Phase: Secondary
URN · DfE number: 143435 · 330/5403
Trust: The Shaw Education Trust
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Capacity: 2,124 pupils · 1,210 on roll
Free school meals: 54.6% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 December 2016
Replaced: Great Barr School (URN 103550)
Address: Aldridge Road, Great Barr, Birmingham, B44 8NU
Local authority: Birmingham

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources